Page 39 of Beauty and the Baker
Didn’t that kiss mean anything? It certainly did to him.He wanted to do everything in his power to keep her in Creede.With him.
He quickly walked to Maybelle’s house and let himself inside the garden gate. He knocked on the door and waited to see if anyone would answer. He knew that Maybelle was still having difficulty walking with the splint on her leg.
But someone in the Jacobs family should be there and answer the door. He knocked once more. He was just about to leave when the door cracked open. Georgina looked at him. “I saw the bakery was closed.”
“I know,” she croaked out. “I couldn’t stand being there today.”
“My word, Georgina, are you alright? Should I go get the doctor? Did something happen to your aunt? Where’s your family? Did they leave?” Georgina didn’t respond. “Give me a moment and I’ll go get Cassie.”
Georgina started to hiccup. “It’s alright. You don’t need to get anyone. My family is just out for a walk this morning.”
“So, your aunt is alright then?”
“She’s fine. It’s me.”
“May I come in?”
Georgina opened the door wider and turned, walking towards the kitchen. Charlie followed her inside. Georgina sat down at the kitchen table and wiped her nose with a handkerchief.
Charlie noticed her eyes were swollen and her cheeks were red. “What happened?” He sat down next to her and took one of her hands in his. He covered it with his other hand and gently rubbed it.
“I am such a fool,” she finally said.
“Talk to me.”
“I don’t even know where to begin.”
“How about at the beginning?”
“You know how I told you about Lawrence and moving to San Francisco?” Charlie nodded. He didn’t want to think about it because losing her would be like losing a piece of himself. “Well it turns out that Lawrence didn’t actually propose. He wanted me to come out there… and… and…” Georgina started crying again.
“Shh,” Charlie whispered, rubbing his hand on her back. He didn’t know if it was providing any comfort, but he always felt better after his mama would rub his back while growing up. “He wanted you to what?”
“I just kept thinking of what you told me.”
“His wife came to see me yesterday.” Charlie paused his circular motions and snapped his head up to look at her. “Oh, Charlie, I’m so ashamed. I’m not a loose woman, really I’m not.”
“I know you aren’t. Why would you think that about yourself?”
“I corresponded with a man I didn’t know. I was determined to move out to San Francisco to get away from Baltimore.” She looked at him once more. Her eyes filling with tears. “I kissed you!”
Charlie gave a little chuckle. “Hopefully the last one wasn’t too bad.”
Georgina wiped her nose again. “It appears Lawrence has a habit of doing this. He places ads in the newspaper and women write to him. After a period of time he invites women out to San Francisco and takes them to his apartment near the docks. I was told he seduces them and then tells them he has no intention of getting married because he already has a wife.”
“That is dreadful. He is the worst kind of man.” Georgina nodded at his assessment. “Why doesn’t she leave him?”
“I asked the same question. Apparently, he married her for her money. She is the one who is rich. Her father owns the ships, not Lawrence. He was simply a deck hand when they married. She has a child to think of, so I guess I can’t fault her. A divorce would be messy and costly. I gave her the letter, so I wouldn’t read it.”
“So, you aren’t leaving for San Francisco?”
Georgina shook her head. “Didn’t you hear a word I said? The man I thought I was going to marry already has a wife. I told my parents about it and they were not pleased that I lied to them. And now I’m going to be an old maid forever.” Georgina started to wail, the sound cutting right to his heart.
He lifted his hand and rubbed his chest. The pain started to dissipate. He knew what he needed to do. What he wanted to do.
“No, you won’t,” Charlie said.
“How do you know, Charlie Stockton? I didn’t have any prospects when I was in Baltimore. I certainly don’t have any prospects now.”
